1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a method of fabricating a color filter, and more particularly, a method of fabricating a color filter by which color characteristics can be improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until recently, cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors have been usually used to display information from TVs (televisions) and computers. However, flat panel displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electro-luminescence (EL) displays, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and field emission displays (FEDs), are now being used with an increase in sizes of screens. LCDs among these flat panel displays are widely used as desktop computer monitors, lap-top computer monitors, etc., because the LCDs have low power consumption.
The LCDs include a color filter that forms images of desired colors by transmitting white light modulated by a liquid crystal layer. The color filter includes an arrangement of a plurality of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) pixels formed on a transparent substrate. The color filter has been fabricated using conventional methods including a dyeing method, a pigment dispersion method, a printing method, an electrodeposition method, etc. However, these conventional methods include a repetition of predetermined processes for pixels of each color, thus degrading process efficiency and increasing fabrication costs.
Accordingly, a conventional method of fabricating a color filter using an inkjet printing technique has been recently proposed, which is performed more simply and cost-effectively as compared to other conventional methods. In this method, ink drops of predetermined colors, such as R, G, and B, are discharged into pixels on a substrate through nozzles of an inkjet head, thereby forming a color filter.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are views illustrating a conventional method of fabricating a color filter using a conventional inkjet printing technique. Referring to FIG. 1A, when ink droplets of predetermined colors are discharged from nozzles of an inkjet head (not illustrated) into pixels defined by a black matrix 20 on a substrate 10, the pixels are filled with liquid ink layers 30. Referring to FIG. 1B, when the liquid ink layers 30 are dried, solid ink layers 31 of the predetermined colors are formed within the pixels. However, while the liquid ink layers 30 are drying, a variety of mass flows occur within the pixels according to properties of the black matrix 20, characteristics of the ink, a drying speed of the ink, etc. Accordingly, a thickness of each of the solid ink layers 31 within the pixels is very non-uniform, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. Additionally, drying conditions of the pixels of the color filter are different according to their locations on the substrate, so that the solid ink layers 31 have different shapes from one another. Due to the non-uniform thicknesses of the solid ink layers 31 within the pixels, light may leak from the pixels, or a blurry image may be generated. Consequently, color characteristics of the color filter are degraded.